Skype Journal: UConnect - Bridging Skype with the Telephone
August 31, 2005 11:10 AM
Do you want to make internet telephony easier to use and more accessible? Do you want the option of taking Skype calls on your home cordless phone (or any phone)? In my case I want the family to make cheap calls to New Zealand without messing with my PC and yet having simple access to SkypeOut.
Perhaps you are not yet ready to splurge on a DUALphone, although those SkypeOut minutes to global destinations are saving you a bundle.
Introducing UConnect, another great product from VoIPVoice. Now one device brings all the features of Skype and Internet telephony into the cordless phone you have on your desktop. UConnect brings all the neat features VoIPVoice has programmed to work with the CyberPhoneK and lets you use them on your cordless phone.
If you have a recent cordless phone with an LCD, UConnect will enable:
- Skype Caller ID for inbound calls for phones with an LCD.
- Easy access to both Landline or SkypeOut or easy dialing out.
- Easy buddylist dialing with voice activated confirmation
- Voice announcements of who's calling optional.
- Skype voice mail notification
- Second or third line (or more) with SkypeIn numbers.
UConnect is one of those devices that you look at and say... that's different. There's some sense to the design with its integrated USB connector (also comes with an extension cable) which makes it easy to travel with (use those non digital phones where still available in hotels) or simply press it into the back of a desktop PC. UConnect will work in both USB mode connected to Skype and or just connected to your landline.
Your computer has to be running for Skype to function. Don't expect the sound quality to be Skype headset like. This is not the fault of the device rather dependent on your cordless phone. However, PSTN quality (what your handset was designed for) will be perfectly adequate for the times you want to move and sit out on the deck talking.
UConnect is on the first Skype certified products. That means it meets Skype's quality charter and has met the requirements of Skype's certification program.
UConnect will be released shortly, at a price of US$59.99 which is competitive with competing devices which currently don't offer the same slick Skype feature integration. Watch the VoIPVoice store for more details.
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Comments (2)
uConnect keep crashing my instance of Skype when a Skype-in call is attempted. Cool idea, but it sure doesn't work for me.
Back to the drawing board ---- Peter
Posted by: Peter at October 21, 2005 3:02 PM
But what if I want to call with skype outside my house. With ipdrum you can receive calls on your cellphone. U can also call skype contacts the same way. Sounds like a better solution for me.
Posted by: Andre Fender at January 2, 2006 6:21 AM